Reeling device



S. S MATTHES.

REELING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.9. 191v 1,366,199. Patented Jan. 18,1921.

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S. S MATTHES.

fiEELlNG DEVICE.

APPLICATKON FILED mm, was.

Patented Jan. 18, 1921.v

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S. S. MATTHES.

REELENG UEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9, I919 1,366,199. Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

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UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL s. MATTHES;.OFMANSZEIELD,OHIOQASSIGNOR 'ro THE HIO BRASS cou- PANY, or MANSFIELD, 601110, A CORPORATION. on NEW JERSEY.

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: Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J an. 18, 1921.

Application filed A ril 9, 191 9. Serial in. 288,784.

To all whom it may conccm."

Be it known that I, SAMUEL SQMA THES,

"citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at lllansfield in the county of'Richland and State of bhio, haveinvented certain new anduseful Improvements inReeling Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in winding devices and has particular reference to the retrieving and resetting mechanism, and I have described its use andoperation as applied to trolley retrievers although its use is not limited to trolley retrievers.

One of the objects of my ,inventionis to provide an improved device of this character which will be simple, durable, reliable, and compact in construction, and effective and efficient in operation.

Another object is to provide a reeling device comprising mechanism dependent upon the winding up of the power spring to a predetermined tension for resetting the device to normal operating condition.

A further object is to provide a reeling device comprising mechanism compelling the winding up of the power spring to a predetermined tension when resetting the device. w w

A still further object is to provide a reeling device comprising a: resetting device and mechanism to cooperate therewith and operable by the power spring when wound up to a predeterminedtension to permit movement of said device into a position where it operates to prevent further winding up of the spring.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects, as will appear, the invention consists in the novel features of the design, combination and arrangement of the several parts tohe hereinafter more fully de scribed, and claimed, and shown in the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and in which u a t Figure l is a side view of a winding device embodying my improvements and shown partly in section to illustrate the constructional arrangement of the several parts, as applied to a trolley retriever.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and showing the power npole. l i a a .Flg. .45 is a similar view indicating the spring wound up and the setting mechanism in normal operative condition.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view substantially on the line 3-43 ofFig. 1, and showing the retriever disk in interlocked relation with v the caseand the drum free to rotate in either direction under the actlon of the trolley mechanism in the act of unlocking the retriever disk, (dotted lines) and also show- 111g the retriever disk unlocked from the caseand about to commence its retrieving action, (full lines) Figs. 5 and 6 areviews of a ortion of the ease and the retriever disk an showing the interlocking or setting mechanism in vari-l ous positions and which will be referred to hereinafter.

Fig; 7 is a view of a portion of the retriever disk showing the opposite side there 01 than that shown in the other views.

The same reference characters indicate "the same parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings, 1 designates the case of an ordinary retriever and which comprises, as shown, a cover 2 whlch may be removablly l secured thereto'nin any suitable or we known manner. The case is formed with a recess 3 wherein is mounted a power or retrieving spring 4, which has its outerend secured to the case, as by rivets 5, or otherw se. The inner end of this spring 1s connected in any well known or suitable mannerppreferably as shown in Fig. 2, to the hub extension 6 of a driver 7 which is rotatablv mnuntedon the shaft 8 secured within the case. power arm 9 which extends and has a limit ed amount of movement between stops l0 and 11 provided on one side of the retriever member or disk 12 and is constantly "urged to rotatein the direction toward and norr iii-ally held in engagement with, the stop 10 by the tension of the power spring. Tending to rotate the driver in the opposite direction, as toward and into engagement with the stop 11 is a control spring 13 having one end attached to the arm 9 of the driver and its other end adjustably connected to the retriever disk as by means of a screw 14: passing through a lug 15 formed on the disk andhaving threadedengagement with the nut 16 secured in the end of the spring. It

The driver comprises a.

" the stop? end Thus it will be seen that when the'latch is thrown out and the lock screw.14- the spring '13 may be held under will be apparent that by adjusting the any desii'ed or required amount of tension. ivotally secured to the arm 9 as at 17 is a movable member 18 which is constantly urged to rotate toward, and adapted when inoperative position to be held in engagement with, its cooperating stop 19, (see Figs.

s own in Figs. 2 andB, and is constructed arranged so that when it is in operative position its end extends slightly beyond the end of the arm 9, forming an offset or shoulder 21, (see F ig. 5), the purpose of which will be'brought out hereinafter.

1 The retriever member or disk 12 is mounted for rotation in either direction and is adapted to be rotated in one direction by the power spring 4 through themedium of the driver 7 to wind up the trolley rope and thereb pull down the trolley pole, and it is adapted to be rotated in the opposite direction for the purpose of resetting or winding up said spring. This disk is provided with a flange 22 having a suitable slot which is arranged a double latch which is adapted to normally look the retriever disk to the casesoas to prevent its rotation and to hold 't'hepower spring under tension. This latch comprises two levers 28 and 2a which are pivoted at 25 and 26 respectively. The inner 'or'adjacent ends of the levers are knuckle jointed so that they will both move siniulta'neously, the lever 23 at this end being notched while the corresponding end of the lever 24 is formed tooperate in said notch shown in Fig's. 3; to 7 inclusive. When latch is in looking position the free ends 27 and 28 respectively will be projected or thrownbeyond the periphery of the flange on the retriever disk and in position to engagethe'fixed lug'sf29 and 30 which are preferably formed integrally on the inner wall of the case. F or convenience of description I will hereinafter refer to the end 27 of the latch as the lock? end, and the end 28 as end is in engagement with the stop lug 29, the retriever disk will be positively locked against rotation by the spring 3 and in a direction to .wiiidup the trolley rope. The

' operation of the stop end of the latch will be described later. The two levers which COIHPIISGjlllS latch, as is seen, are formed so that when said levers are in inward or re I leased position, as shown in Figs. 5,- 6 and '2",

no portion of them will project in the path the lugs 29 and 30, thus leaving the disk freejtorotate. A coil spring 31 having one end connected to the lever 24 and its other Rotatably mounted, preferably upon another hub extension 32 of the retriever disk I is a drum 83 adapted to receive the trolley rope 34. This drum is formed with a compartment 35 wherein is mounted a service spring 36, which operates to rotate the drum in the direction to keep the trolley rope taut. The outer end of this spring is connected to the d1-umii1ai1y suitable or desirable inanlief while its inner end may be connected to a stationary sleeve 37, which may be mounted for adj iistment by means of ratchet teeth, not shown, or otherwise.

The drum normally follows the movement ofthe trolley pole as the trolley pole and drum are connected by a rope, and in case of an abnormal rapid rise in said pole mechan sm is actuated which will unlock the retriever disk and connect it with the drum so that the drum will be rotated in the direction to wind up the trolley rope and pull down the pole. In order to throw in the latch and release the retriever disk the drum Carries a plurality of centrifugal dogs 38, which are pivotally mounted in suitable sockets or bearings 39, formed in integral bosses on the side of the drum adjacent the retriever disk. When normally operating, these dogs are yieldably maintained in inward or retracted position by springs 4-1. the free ends of the dogs resting against the adjacent bosses, as shown in Fig. 3. T hose dogs are arranged so that they will be sensitive to abnormal rapid fluctuations of the trolley pole, such for instance as when the pole leaves the wire and flies upwardly. liecause of the undue speed of the drum incident to the quickupward movement of the pole the dogs will move outwardly against:

the peripheral flange 22, on the retriever disk under the action of centrifugal force.

It will be noticed that the knuckle joint of the latch, when the latch is in locking position, lies within the flange 22 and hence within the path of the free ends of the tripping or centrifugal dogs 38. In consequence, the tripping dog, which at the instant is the nearest to the knuckle joint of the latch, will strike said joint and force it outwardly, thus throwing the lock and stop ends of the latch inwardly and re lease the retriever disk. In order to insure a positive releasing action on the part of the dogs, I provide an outstanding rib 4-2 on the face of the retriever disk adjacent the centrifugal dogs. This rib is positioned adjacent the knuckle joint of the latch to provide a. comparatively narrow space between the rib and the flange 22. In addition the free ends of the tripping dogs are provided with extensions 43 of suilicientthickness to pass through the channel or space between the IOU riband flange and thereby positively force the knuckle joint of the latch outwardly. For the purposeoi": maintaining the latch in inward or released position during therotation of the disk by the powerspring and during the resettingor wlndmg upoperation of the device to normal operative condi tron, I providelthe lever 23 with an outstanding pinei5,which is normally disposed in the position shown in Fig. 8 andflvhere itoperates to maintain the movable member 18 in inoperative position and out of engagement with its cooperatingstop 19. By movement of the latch into inward or released position, this pin is carried out of the path of the movable member 18 which will then move into engagement with the stop 19ers shown in Fig: 5. In this position of the movable member 18 it will. be noted that'it forms an obstruction inthe path oi the pin 45 and thus positively prevents movement of the latch into outward or operative position prior to the nnwlndlngoft the power springand the resetting or redisk. By thus engaging said shoulder the tripping dog; positively 1l1t61'iOCkS1Jl1Q16-.

triever disk and drum and the latter will thereby be carried with the retriever disk and will wind 1 up the trolley rope.

In order that a clear understanding of invention may be had, abrief statement of the operation is as follows. When the power spring is wound up or set and the parts are in their normal position they will be as represented in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The latch will bein outward position and the lock end 27 of the lever 23held in engagement with the lock? lug 29 of the case and the movable member 18 held in inoperative position by the pin The arm 9 of the driver T is held in engagement with the stop 10 by the tension of the power spring et and against the action of the control spring 13, and the centriiugaldogs held 1n engagement with the bosses 19 as shown. In th1s relationoi the parts the drum is free to be rotated in a directionto wind up the trolley rope by action of the service springfifi which of sufiicient tension to keep therope taut at all times during the rise and fall of the trolley pole during operation. When the.

rope israpidly unwound from the drum as when thetrolley rope jumps the wire, the sudden impulse or 'apid rotation of. the drum will cansethe dogs 38 to move outwardlyby centrifugalforce and actuate the latch ,to release the retriever disk and then interlock the drum with the disk in the manner heroinbefore described. When this has taken place the relation of the parts "willbe as represented inFigs. 4; and 5. Next the retriever dislcand theldrum, under the influence oi the power spring 4,will be caused to rotate in a rope windingdirection amlwind up the rope and thereby pull down thetrolley pole. As the drum rotates, the power spring, which is normally held under tension slightly higher than that of the con trol'sprinpj 13, weakens whereupon the arm 9 of the driver will be positioned against the stop 11 by action ofthe control spring 13; This positioningoi the arm 9 asis seen 111 1* 1g. 6. carries the movable member 18 out oilithe path oi or alinement with the pin 45 which holds the latch in released position and which is then brought to bear or rest against the end of the arm 9. The parts will remain in this relation during the unwinding of thevpower spring and the consequent winding up of the trolley rope. I i

To set or restore the parts to their normal operative condition after thedevice has operated as above, it is only necessary to pull outon the trolley r0 e thereby unwinding the same and rotating-t 1e drum and the retriever diskin thedirection indicated. by arrows in Y Figs. 5 and 6. lVhile the rope is beingpulled out-and the drumand retriever diskrevolve, winding up the power spring, the arm 9 of the driver is held in engagementwith the a stop 11 by the action of control spring 13 and the latch held in released position by engage ment oi its pin eifiwith the end of the arm 9 until the power spring is wound. up to a point where its tension becomes equal to or balances the tens on of the control spring 18." Then upon continueclrotation oi the parts in the same direction and the consequent iurther tensioning of the power spring, the arm 9 under the influence of this increased tension will movetoward and into l engagement with the stop and against the actionof the controlspring. During this positioning of the arm 9, it willmove out of alinement or engagement with the pin 45,

and the movable member 18 will be brought into engagement with said pin at 21' and shiftedtonormal inoperative position, thus leaving the path of the pin &5 unobstructed whereupon the latch under the influence of its spring 31, will immediately move into outward or operative position as shown in Fig. 2. If at this instant the lateh is not positioned between the stop lugs 29 and 30 it will in the continued rotation of the disk ride over thesurface 4:3 and the lock end of the latch will snap in behind the lock lug '29 in position'to prevent or look therevtriever disk against rotation in the retrieving direction as above'described. This snapping in of the latch does not indicate to the conductor that thelatchis in locking position and the. operator continues pulling out on' tlie rope until the stop end 28'of the latch strikes the stop lug 30 of thecasing.

This action positively prevents the further winding'up of thespring and indicates to the operator that the latch is in locking position. As soon then as the pull on the trolley rope is released, thedisk will move in the reverse direction until the lock end 27 of thelatch is brought into engagement with the ""lock lug 29 of the casing and locks the disk against rotation until it is again released by thecent'ritugal dogs 38. It now remains to unlock the drum from the retriever'disk, which it will be remembered I were held'interlocked While the parts were being. restored to normal operative cond1- tion. v This is accomplished as soon as the pull on the trolley, pole is released, where upon the drum will start to rotate in the oppositedirection by the'action, of the service spring 36, and in so doing it carries the centrifugal dog. 38 out of engagement with the stopshoulder 42 of the disk. The dog moves out until-it passes the end of the guide rib l6 and it is then drawn inwardly against the boss 40 by its spring ll, thus finally unlocking the drum from the disk and leaving the drum ireeto again normally fwind up and unwind the trolley rope. 1

ItW- ll be evident from the roregoing-that the mechanism which operates to automativcallyrestore the latch to locking position is controlled bythe tension of the control spring 13 and that by varying this tension,

:as herein provided, the device may be adjusted to obtain any desired or required amount of retrieving action.

Having thus fully described my invention and illustrated one embodiment of the same,

I do not Wishto be limited to the details of the construction-shown since these can obviously be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

disk mounted therein for rotation, a spring for rotating the disk in one direction, a locking device carried by the disk and normally having engagement with the stop for holding the disk against rotation by the spring, meansfor moving the locking device but of engagement with the stop to permit rotation of the disk by the spring, and mechanism connecting the spring and the disk and embodying an element adapted to coiiperate with the locking device for maintaining said device in inoperative position during rotation of the disk.

3. In a. trolley retriever the combination of a case provided with a. stop, a rotatable retriever disk therein, a spring for rotating the disk in one direction, a locking device carried by the disk and movable into and out of engagement with the stop to normally lock the disk against rotation by the spring, and mechanism connecting the spring and the disk for controlling the movement of said locking device into locking position and whereby the power of the spring is transmitted to the disk, said mechanism comprising an element having ongagement with the spring and normally held inv one position relative to said disk by the action of said spring, and another spring engaging the disk and element and operating to move said element to another position when the tension of the first mentioned spring is relaxed.

In a trolley retriever the combination or a case, a retriever disk mounted therein for rotation, a spring constantly tending to rotate the disk in one direction, a lock carried by the retriever disk, means under the control of the spring and operable upon a predetermined tensioning of the spring for permitting movement of the lock into lock ing position, and stops for engagement with the lock to restrain the rotation of the disk in either direction.

5. The combination of a rotatable rctriever disk, a power' spring constantly urging said disk in one direction of rotation, means for rotating the disk in the reverse direction and against the tension of the power spring, a locking device carried by the disk and operable when set to lock the disk against rotation in either direction, means for ooacting with the device when set to hold the disk against rotation, means tending to constantly urge the locking device to move into locking position, and means under the control of the power spring for preventing movement of the locking device into locking position prior to the winding up of the spring to a predetermined tension.

6. The combination of a retriever disk, a spring constantly urging the disk in one direction of rotation, means for rotating the disk in the reverse direction and against the tension of the spring, a locking device carllil) ried by the disk for locking the disk against rotation in either direction, means cooperating with the locking device to hold the disk, means for releasing the locking device, a driver having en agement with the spring and normally malntained in yield- L able contact with the disk by the action oi the spring, and a movable member carried by the driver and normally heldin inoperative position bygengagement with the lock for holding the lock in released position upon a predetermlned tension. of the spring for causing said locking device to move into locklng position.

8. The combination of a retriever disk, a power sprmg constantly urging the (115k in one direction of rotation, means for rotating the disk in the reverse direction and against the action of the spring, a locking device carried bythe disk for normally look ing the disk against rotation in either direction, means cooperating with the locking device to hold the disk, means for releasing the look a driver rotatable with the disk and havlng a hmlted amount of movement relatively thereto and normally maintained f in one position relative to saiddisk by the action of the spring 'to which it is connected,

a control spring connected to and operating to move the driver to another position when the tension on the power spring weakens, and means carried by the driver and movable into position upon the release of the lock to maintain the lock in. released position.

9. The combination of a retriever disk, a spring constantly urging the disk in one direction of rotation, means for rotating the disk in. the reverse direction and a ainst the action of the s ring, a locking evice carried by the disk or normally locking the disk against rotation in either direction, means cooperating with the locking device to hold the disk, means for releasing the locking device, and mechanism under the control of the spring for maintaining the lock in released position during rotation of the disk by the spring, the mechanism'em bodying an element having engagement wlth the spring and normally held in one position relative to said disk by the action of the spring, a control spring for moving the elehe combination ot a rotatable re mentto second position when the tension of the first mentioned spring is relaxed, and a in one direction, means for rotatingthe disk in the opposite direction and against the action of the spring, a driver having engagement with the spring and a connection with the disk whereby the disk and driver may move relatively to each other, a locking device carried by said disk, and dependent upon movement of said driver to permit movement of the device into position; tor locking the disk against rotation by' the spring, means tending to maintain the lock- 111g device in looking position, and means -coacting with the device when in locking position for holding the disk.

11. The combination of arotary retrieving disk, a casing in which it rotates, a

spring for rotating the disk in one direction,

a locking device carried by the disk ad acent to the periphery thereof, spaced stops on the casing engageable by and between which the lock is adapted to be positioned during rotation of said disk in the direction to wind up the spring, after the tension on the spring has reached a predetermined value for locking the disk against rotatiton by the spring, and means operable after the predetermined tension of said spring has been reached to permit thelock to move into i. F locking positlon.

12 The combination of a rotary retriever disk, a sprlng tending to rotate the dlsk in one. direction, means for rotatmg the d1sk in the other direction to wind up the spring,

a locking device carried by the disk and operable when set to hold the retriever disk against rotation by the spring, means to cooperate with the locking device to hold the disk, means actuated by centrifugal force to engage and release the locking device to permit rotation'of the disk by the spring, a driver having engagement with the spring and a yieldable connection with the disk for transmitting power of the spring to the disk and for controlling the setting of the locking device, the driver operating to maintain the locking device in released position while the spring is being wound up and compelling the winding up of said spring to a trieving member therein, a spring to rotate the member in one'direction. a look carried by the retrieving member operable when set I to hold the member against rotation by the spring,. means cooperating with the lock 'When set to hold the retrieving member aga nstrotation,v a rotatable trolley rope reel,,meansinterposed between the member I and reel operable by centrifugal force to release the look and to interlock the reel with the memberf so that thereel will rotate by action of thespring upon relase of the lock,

' 7 means forwinding up the spring and means under the controlo'f the spring and operable upon a :"predetermined tensioning of the fsprlngfor controlling the setting, of the lock 3 r r v 14.In a device of the character described,

the combination asset forth in claim 13, the last mentlone'd means consisting of a driver sition and out of engagement with the look by tension of the spring, said driver operating to transmit power of the spring to the disk and movable into engagement with the lock during unwinding of the spring to prevent setting of the lock prior to the winding up of the spring to a predetermined tension.

15. In a trolley retriever the combination of a case, a retrieving disk mounted herein for rotation, a spring constantly tending to rotate the disk in one direction, a lock carried by the disk and operable when set to hold the disk against rotation by the sprin means under the control of the spring and operable upon a predetermined tensioning of the spring for controlling the setting of the loclgand means engageable by the lock when set to hold the spring under tension.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

SAMUEL S. MATTHES. 

